


Every Princess Needs A Castle

by ShadowHaloedAngel



Series: Castles and Princesses [1]
Category: Ocean's 8 (2018)
Genre: Anxiety, Coping Mechanisms, Covid-19 Related, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Girls Kissing, Lockdowns, Pandemics, Pillow & Blanket Forts, Post-Prison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:41:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23366356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowHaloedAngel/pseuds/ShadowHaloedAngel
Summary: Being stuck inside is sending Debbie a little bit crazy, even though she knows it's for a good reason. Fortunately she has Lou and a foster dog to help keep her sane.
Relationships: Lou Miller/Debbie Ocean
Series: Castles and Princesses [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1681723
Comments: 14
Kudos: 43
Collections: Lock Down Fest





	Every Princess Needs A Castle

"C'mon girl... I know... you feel better for that run, huh? I do." 

Debbie wished her voice was a little steadier as she reached down to scritch the beautiful red setter who was waiting at her side. The dog affectionately licked her hand, and Debbie smiled a little as she fumbled in her pocket for her keys with her other hand. 

"You know, I was never really sure about getting a dog. It seemed... well it's a very coupley thing to do. I mean there are plenty who would say that it doesn't get more coupley than me and Lou but... I don't know. Commitment has been... but this is... well. This is kind of different, I guess? I mean, I know we're fostering you, technically, but... I don't know. I'm glad you're here. Bet you're glad you're here too."

Curie wuffed softly and Debbie unlocked the door, nudging it open and unclipping the dog's leash and letting her scamper happily into the club. Debbie lingered in the doorway for a moment, gazing longingly back out at the beach. It was hard to make herself go back inside. She'd spent six years in prison, not quite counting the days until she was free, but determined never to take freedom for granted again. This wasn't quite her worst nightmare, but it was cutting a lot closer to the bone than she'd anticipated. 

She was grateful, really, that the club was out here relatively in the middle of nowhere, with the little stretch of beach by the water that nobody else bothered with. It was space to go walking and exercise, and walk the dog that Lou had decided they should foster, while abiding by the restrictions. She certainly wasn't making contact with anybody else, but the ability to leave the house and breathe fresh air (or fresh by New York standards, although she was interested in the figures showing the drop in air pollution as a result of the lockdown) was about the only thing keeping her sane right now. She knew what stir crazy felt like, and this was uncomfortably close to going back to something she'd sworn she would never go back to. 

Lou was being great, of course. Lou was always great, but Debbie knew that she really had to be trying her wife's patience a little bit right now. The whole world was stressed, everyone was scared, the club was closed for the foreseeable future though Lou was still paying all her staff and honestly Debbie loved her for that. Lou was no less affected by all of this than anybody else, and then on top of that she had to deal with Debbie being an absolute fucking basket case. Debbie was struggling to forgive herself for that. 

It wasn't like she was trying to be, and it wasn't like she expected Lou to be responsible for her. She was going out for a run twice a day with Curie on the beach, keeping far away from everyone, but needing that time to get out of her own head and push her focus into her feet, her legs, the burning in her chest and the pounding of her heart. She went out first thing in the morning and last thing at night and there was nobody else around and she knew out here they were fortunate enough to be low risk and far from anyone and she was obeying the restrictions, but sometimes she needed to go out in the middle of the day too. Curie was proving a convenient excuse for that, and Debbie wasn't sure if Lou knew why Debbie was the one doing 99% of the walking of the dog Lou had suggested they get. If she did, she wasn't commenting on it. 

She had tried doing some yoga classes off Youtube, exercising muscles she hadn't even realised she had, she was trying meditation, she was making sure to give Lou her space and not to be a needy attention whore, just trying everything she could to tire herself out so that she didn't end up with the walls closing in on her, feeling like she couldn't breathe. 

She walked straight into the bathroom and turned on the tap, lathering up the soap as she started singing under her breath. 

"At first I was afraid, I was petrified... kept thinking I could never live without you by my side... but then I spent so many nights just thinking how you did me wrong, and I grew strong, and I learned how to get along... and so you're back, from outer space... I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face, I should have changed that stupid lock, I should have made you leave your key, if I'd known for just one second you'd be back to bother me... go on now go, walk out the door, just turn around now, cause you're not welcome anymore... weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye, did I crumble... did I lay down and die oh no not I..."

She dried her hands and let the music trail off in her throat.

"I will survive."

Her head jerked up as Lou finished the line off for her. 

"...Hey."

"Hey," Lou leaned against the wall, hands tucked into her pockets. "It's true, you know," she said, seemingly apropos of nothing. 

Debbie didn't meet her eyes, bending down to unlace her shoes and setting Curie's leash on the side table under the key hooks. 

"What is?"

"...That you'll survive."

Lou pushed herself up from the wall and crossed over to give Debbie a kiss on the cheek. 

"C'mon, I want to show you something."

Debbie blinked, pausing a moment before she hurried to catch up with Lou who was sauntering towards the main room, unhurried as ever. Nothing seemed to faze her. It was one of the great contrasts between them, and Debbie had never been able to express just how much she appreciated Lou's calm demeanour. Now almost more than ever. 

She stopped in the doorway and stared. The room they used as their living and dining area had been utterly transformed with blankets and sheets and ropes from the high warehouse ceiling and the balcony of the upper floor where the bedrooms were into an incredible blanket fort. There were fairy lights in it, and the couch was covered in blankets and quilts and pillows. It was like a child's dream on steroids. She could see that Curie's dog bed had been built into the construction and the setter herself was curled up contentedly after her walk, tail waving lazily back and forth. 

She turned to Lou, open-mouthed and trying to find the words. 

Lou just grinned, shifting closer to cuddle up to Debbie's back, arms around her waist, chin on her shoulder. 

"...What do you think?"

"I... Lou... it's amazing... what did you- why?"

Lou pressed a kiss under her jawline. 

"Because I know this is hard for you. I mean it's hard for everyone, but for you it's got to be bringing back a lot of unpleasant memories, so I wanted to change the feel of things a little. You're not a prisoner, baby. You're a princess. And every princess needs a castle. Isn't that right Curie?"

The dog barked in agreement and Debbie laughed, offering no resistance as Lou steered her towards the couch. 

"C'mon, come inspect your realm..."

"Mmmm... well if I'm a princess baby, you're a queen."

"Tell me something I don't know."

**Author's Note:**

> Woo my first time posting to a collection! 
> 
> I think all of the pet fostering that's going on all over the world is amazing, and it seemed like a good thing to highlight and feature here. And yes, I considered a few songs for Debbie to use but I couldn't resist that one. I hope it made you smile.
> 
> Stay safe, we'll get through this together.


End file.
